Machine for handling eggs



June 1961 H. J. MUMMA 2,989,168

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed Dec. 28. 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 1T'II3 -1 F'IE 2 HAROLD J. MUMMA 'ATTORNEY H. J. MUMMA I MACHINE FORHANDLING EGGS June 20, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec.

w R u mw N. EJ W l O R A H ATTO RN EY June 20, 1961 H. J. MUMMA MACHINEFOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed Dec. 28, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'I E .E

lNVENTOR HAROLD J.MUMMA ATTORNEY June 20, 1961 M. MUMMA 2,989,168

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed Dec. 28. 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA BY W ATTORNEY "F IBJEI June 20, 1961 I H. J.MUMM'A 2,989,168

- MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed Dec. 28. 1953 e Sheets-Sheet5 F 1 El 70- INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA BY W ATTORNEY June 20, 1961 H. J.MUMMA 2,989,168

MACHINE FOR HANDLING EGGS Original Filed Dec. 28, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 6F'IB 1l:l

INVENTOR HAROLD J. MUMMA BY Af W ATTORNEY Unimd m Pat nt '70? 6 Claims.(Cl. 198-131) The present application is a division of application Ser.No. 400,466 filed Dec. 28, 1953, now Patent No. 2,895,274.

This invention relates to machines for handling articles, such as egges.More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved conveyorfor carrying articles to a predetermined position and discharging thearticles. I An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconveyor.

. Another object is to provide an etficient mechanism for controllingthe discharge of articles from a conveyor. Another object is to providean improved article carrier for a conveyor.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the accompanying drawings which illustratea preferred emlbodiment thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a complete egg handling machine ofthe invention embodying the conveyor of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation of the same machine viewed from theside opposite to FIG. 2.

FIGS 4A and 4B are the left and right halves respectively, of afragmentary schematic perspective illustrating the mechanical powertrains used in the machine of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an egg lowering mechanism, withpart of the distributing conveyor of the present invention disposedunderneath and shown in longitudinal vertical section.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of one of the egg supporting bucketscarried by the distributing conveyor of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective of a battery of six egg release solenoidsprovided along the distributing conveyor at each of the eighteen packingstations.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary transverse section taken along line 88 of FIG.7.

FIG. 9 is a detail view illustrating part of the mechanism show-n inFIG. 8 in a different operational position.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the terminal runof the distributing conveyor taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are schematic detail views showing consecutiveoperational positions of the mechanisms illustrated in FIG. 10.

Having first reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the embodiment of theconveyor'of the invention that is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings is particularly adapted for use in an egg processing machinewhich comprises six candling stations 150 individually identified by thereference numerals 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 and 156. Every one of saidstations is provided with a platform 157 upon which the candler receivescases or crates of eggs from an inclined roller'conveyor 158. At each ofsaid stations, an operator examines the eggs for external appearance,views them against a torch (not shown) to determine their internalcondition, and places those found acceptable upon one of eightsuperposed racks or chutes of a storage unit 160-(FIG. 3), accord-Patented June20, 1961 2 ing to their individual quality, whiledepositing eggs that are broken, excessively dirty, or otherwise unfitfor human consumption into cardboard containers (not shown) placed upontrays 161 that are supported in candelabrum fashion at the right end ofthe storage unit 160.

The quality of each egg is recorded in a memory device (FIG. 1),disposed in a cabinet 172, and then the egg is delivered from thestorage unit 160 to upwardly moving cups of a conveyor 162 (-FIG. 4A)which deposits each egg separately in a weighing mechanism (FIG. 1). Theweight of each egg is recorded in the memory device 170 and then the eggis lowered by a transfer mechanism 182 (FIG. 5) into a cup 186 of thedistributing conveyor 185 of the present invention.

The details of construction and operation of the candling and storageunit 160, the conveyor 162, the memory device 170, the weighingmechanism 180, and the transfer mechanism 182 are completely disclosedin the above mentioned patent.

The distributing conveyor 185 comprises a pair of parallel, transverselyspaced endless chains 200 (FIG. 4A )that are trained at the trailing endof the conveyor upon a pair of idler sprockets 201 and 202,respectively, which are mounted upon a common transverse shaft 203 thatis rotatably supported from the machine frame adjacent the cabinet 172of the hereinbefore mentioned memory device 170. An initial horizontalportion of the upper run 204 of the distributing conveyor passesadjacent the hereinbefore described weighing mechanisms 180 comprised inthe machine, with one of its chains enmeshed with the drive sprockets205 (FIG. 4A) of the mechanisms that are associated with the weighingmechanisms 180. Beyond the last of the weighing mechanisms, the chainsof the distributing conveyor pass, and are turned downwardly over, apair of idler sprockets 208 and 209 to for-m a short descending run 210.The lower end of said descending run is determined by another pair ofidler sprockets 212 and 213 whose bottom segments engage the sprocketchains from above. Beyond said last-mentioned pair of sprockets, theupper run of the distributing conveyor reverts to horizontal dispositionand passes over the carbon supply conveyors of eighteen juxtaposedpacking stations (-FIG. 1). Beyond the last of the packing stations bothchains are trained downwardly over a pair of drive sprockets 215 and 216(FIG. 4B) that are mounted upon a common drive shaft 217 which isrotatably supported in the machine frame. Said shaft 217 is driven froman electric motor 218, disposed below the conveyor chains, by means ofan endless sprocket chain 219 that transmits the rotary power of themotor to a sprocket 220 which is firmly mounted upon the shaft 217.Below the drive sprockets 215 and 216 the chains of the distributingconveyor are trained about another pair of idler sprockets 224 and 225,and after forming a horizontal run 226, they rise from below anotherpair of idler sprockets 228 and 229 to the level of the bottom segmentsof the initially mentioned idler sprockets 201 and 202 (FIG. 4A) at thetrailing end of the conveyor reverting to horizontal disposition overyet another set of idler sprockets 230 and 231 that maintains them atthe defined level for operational engagement with the lower segments ofsaid idler sproc ets 201 and 202.

Held between the chains 200 in an endless sequence. are the hereinbeforementioned egg supporting bucketsv 186. Said buckets have the form ofdownwardly .converging, open-ended shells that are adapted to receiveand support eggs at their diverging upper ends and which may. beoperated to drop said eggs through'their lower endsv at predeterminedpoints along the upper run of the distributing conveyor. For thispurpose, each of said buck-Q ets 186 is formed by two'segments in theform of semicylindrical shells 240 and 241 that face each other withtheir concave surfaces (FIG. 6).

Adjacent their side edges, and near their upper ends,

each of said shells is provided with outwardly directed tubular bosses243, 244 and 245, 246, respectively, within which are rotatably receivedtransversely aligned elongated pivot pins 250 of the two parallelsprocket chains 200. Intermediately of each two consecutive buckets, theparallel chains of the distributing conveyor may be connected by crossrods 252, as shown. The bosses 244 and 246 on the right side of thebucket segments, when viewed in the direction of movement of thedistributing conveyor, carry firmly secured thereto enmeshed gearsegments 254 and 255, respectively. As shown best in FIGS. 6 and 11-13,the gear segments are provided with upper cooperating abutment surfaces254a and 255a, respectively, and lower cooperating abutment surfaces254b and 25512, respectively. The leading gear segment 254 of eachbucket forms an upwardly directed actuating nose 257 whose leadingsurface is rearwardly slanted as shown at 258. A suitable spring 259tensioned between points of said segments 254 and 255 below the bosses244 and 246 urges the semi-cylindrical shells of each bucket into theclosed position illustrated in FIGS. and 6 wherein the surfaces 254!)and 255b are in abutting engagement and the shell sections 240 and 241properly support an egg delivered thereinto at the diverging upper endthereof. Arranged adjacent the upper run of the distributing conveyor185, however, at each of the eighteen packing stations comprised in theexemplary embodiment of the invention are batteries of six solenoids265, the batteries of solenoids being individually identified by thereference numbers 266 to 271 inclusive (FIG. 7). Each of said solenoidsis arranged upon energization to project momentarily an actuating ledge275 into the path of the noses 257 on the segments 254 of selected eggsupporting buckets 186 as they pass over the packing stations (FIGS. 1and 8). As the rearwardly slanted leading edge 258 of a nose 257 on thesegment 254 of a bucket 186 comes against such a ledge 275 in projectedposition, it forces said segment 254 to swing in clockwise direction asviewed in FIGS. 5 and 6 against the urgency of spring 259 until thesurfaces 254a and 255a of segments 254 and 255, respectively, are inabutting relation. When the surfaces 254a and 255a are in abuttingrelation the associated shell sections converge upwardly (FIGS. 10-12)and the bucket is in open condition. An egg previously retained in thebucket is, thus, released therefrom. Clockwise movement of the leadingsegment 254 moves the trailing segment 255 enmeshed therewith incounter-clockwise direction and as a result thereof the lower ends ofthe two semi-cylindrical shells 240 and 241 are forced to swing apart asillsutrated in FIGS. 10-13 and are therefore no longer capable ofsupporting an egg, so that any egg that may be seated in the bucket atthe moment will drop through its opened lower end into a suitablecontainer underneath.

From the foregoing description it will be recognized that the presentinvention provides a particularly simple, effective conveyor and anefiicient mechanism for discharging articles from the conveyor atdesired locations.

Having thus described the invention, What I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

l. A conveyor for transporting eggs or the like, comprising a pair oftransversely spaced parallel chains, pairs of semi-cylindrical shellsections rotatably supported from said chains with their concavesurfaces facing each other, resilient means urging the lower ends ofsaid shell sections toward each other to enable said shell sections tosupport an egg therebetween, and enmeshed gear segments integral withsaid shell sections to couple each pair of shell sections forsynchronous rotation in opposite direction, and a lower abutment surfaceon each of said gear segments, the abutment surfaces of each pair ofshell sections being arranged to engage each other to limit movement ofthe associated shell sections toward each other in egg supportingrelation.

2.A conveyor for transporting eggs or the like, comprising a chain, apair of concave shell sections rotatably supported from said chain withtheir concave surfaces facing each other, resilient means urging thelower ends of said shell sections toward each other to cause said shellsections to form a bucket adapted to support an egg therein, enmeshedgear segments integral with said shell sections to couple said shellsections for synchronous rotation in opposite direction, a nose formedon the leading one of said segments, means advancing said chain, andsolenoid operated camming means at a stationary point along said chainoperable to project into the path of said nose so as to cause rotationof the leading gear segment of the bucket in a direction opposite to theurgency of said resilient means and thus spread apart the lower ends ofits shell sections.

3. A conveyor for transporting eggs or the like, comprising a pair oftransversely spaced parallel chains, pairs of semi-cylindrical shellsections rotatably supported from said chains at intervals with theirconcave surfaces facing each other, resilient means urging the lowerends of each pair of shell sections toward each other to cause saidshell sections to form a bucket adapted to support an egg therein,enmeshed gear segments integral with said shell sections to couple eachpair of said shell sections for synchronous rotation in oppositedirection, a nose formed on each leading gear segment, means advancingsaid chains, selectively operable actuating means at spaced stationarypoints along said chains to project temporarily into the path of saidnoses so as to cause rotation of the leading gear segment of a bucketpassing by, in a direction opposite to the urgency of said resilientmeans, and thus spread apart the lower ends of its shell sections toopen the bucket to permit an egg supported therebetween to drop from thebucket, and upper abutment surfaces on the cooperating gear segments ofeach bucket arranged to engage each other to determine the open positionof the shell sections thereof.

4. A conveyor for transporting eggs or the like, comprising a pair oftransversely spaced parallel chains, con- I cave shell sectionsrotatably supported from said chains with their concave surfaces facingeach other, resilient means urging the lower ends of said shell sectionstoward each other to cause said shell sections to form a bucket adaptedto support an egg therein, enmeshed gear segments integral with saidshell sections to couple said shell sections for synchronous rotation inopposite direction, means advancing said chains, a nose formed on theleading one of said segments, a solenoid arranged at a predeterminedpoint along said chains, said solenoid having an armature arranged uponenergization of the solenoid to project into the path of said nose so asto cause rotation of the leading segment of said bucket in a directionopposite to the urgency of said resilient means and in this mannerspread apart the lower ends of said shell sections, means operable tobriefly energize said solenoid, and means supporting said armature insuch a manner as to maintain it in projected position upon engagementwith the nose of the bucket, even after said solenoid has beendeenergized.

5. An egg transporting conveyor comprising a pair of transversely spacedparallel chains, pairs of concave shell sections rotatably supportedfrom said chains with their concave surfaces facing each other incooperative relation, resilient means urging the lower ends of saidcooperating shell section toward each other to enable said shellsections to support an egg therebetvveen, enmeshed gear segmentsintegral with said shell cooperating shell sections to couple said shellsections for synchronous rotation in opposite direction, a firstabutment surface carried by each of said gear segments and arranged toengage each other to limit movement of cooperating shell sections towardeach other in egg retaining relation, and

5 second abutment surfaces carried by said gear segments and arranged toengage each other to limit movement of cooperating shell sections awayfrom each other into egg releasing relation.

6. An egg transporting conveyor comprising a pair of transversely spacedparallel chains, pairs of concave shell sections rotatably supported bysaid chains in cooperative relation with their concave surfaces facingeach other, each pair of cooperating shell sections providing a bucket,resilient means urging the lower ends of each pair of said shellsections toward each other to enable said bucket to support an eggtherein, enmeshed gear segments integral with the shell sections of eachbucket to couple said shell sections for synchronous rotation inopposite directions, a first abutment surface carried by each of thegear segments of each bucket, the first abutment surfaces of each bucketbeing arranged to engage each other to limit movement of said shellsections thereof toward each other in egg retaining relation, a secondabutment surface carried by each of the gear segments of each bucket,the second abutment surfaces of each bucket being arranged to engageeach other to limit movement of said shell sections thereof away fromeach other into egg releasing relation, a nose formed on each leadinggear segment, a solenoid having an armature arranged upon energizationof the solenoid to project into the path of said noses so as to engageone of said noses and cause rotation of the leading shell section of theassociated bucket in a direction opposite to the urgency of saidresilient means and in this manner spread apart the lower ends of theshell sections of said bucket, means operable to briefly energize saidsolenoid, and means supporting said armature in a manner as to maintainit in projected position upon engagement with the nose of a. bucket,even after said solenoid has been deenergized.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

